Double or twin interrupter for ignition systems.



J. M SMITH. DOUBLE O K' 'P-WIN INTEERUPTER FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

v APILIGATION FILED MAY 25, 1910. 1 ,01 3, 1 37, Patented Feb. 20, 1912 BEETS-$3321 1 than.

INVENTOR TTORNFYS r J. M. SMITH. DOUBLE 0B I' WIN INTBBRUPTER FOR IGNITION- SYSTEMS. v APPLIGATIQN nmm MAY 25, 1910 ,01 8, 1 Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

s SHEETS-SHEET z ATTORNEYS v J.M.SMITH.

DOUBLE OR TWIN INTERRUPTER. FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

APPLIcATIqN FILED MAY. 25, 1910.

1,01 8, 1 37, Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

3 SHIIETSSHEET 3.

V ATTORNEYS STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

1:. SMITH, or PHILADELYHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR or Or n-HALF 'ro WILSON'ID. CRAIG WRIGHT,- or PHILADELPHIA, rnrmsvrvamm nouns-on rwm mrnnnurrnn ron IGNITION sys'rnms.

To all m concern:

Be it known that I, 'JAMEs' M. SMITH,

citizen of the United. States, residing at Philadelphimin the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsyli'anla, have invented certain ne'wand useful Improvements in Double or Twin Interrupters for Ignition Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of :the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper tains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings,

. and. to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to improvements in magneto electri'c generators; and the invention relates more particularly to a magneto electric generator provided with a novel construction of mterruptlng device orclrcultbreaker for 'controlling the flow of electrical current in thecircuits of anignition system for internal combustion motors.

The present invention, therefore has for.

its principal object to provide a novel construction of double or twin interrupter or circuit-make and break device for control;

ling the flow of current in a magneto or normally closed circuit the current of which is generated by the magneto generator, and

'for internal combustion motors, in which are employed two electrical circuits, one circuit belng a normally closed circuit, the current of which 15 supplied by the magneto generator, and the other circuit being a norlnally open circuit, the current of which is supplied by batteries, both circuits being controlled, at will, by suitable switching means so as to pass either-one or the other current, as controlled and tuned by my ,novel interrupter or make and break device,

through a single transformer coil and high tension distributing device. Such-a system Specification of Letters latent.

of high tension ignition has been described and claimed by me-in an application .for a patent filed Mav 25, 1911, Serial No. 563,237.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a circuit. breaker or interrupter for both magneto and battery circuits caused to act by a single cam member,

said cam member being provided with the proper number of cam-portions to cause the desired number of interruptions per revolution of the driving spindle. The device be -ing so constructed that the interruptions in both of the respective circuits are positive, but the action oi the one being the reverse of the other,. the battery circuit being closed andrapidly opened again, and the magneto generated current being rapidly :opefied andclosed againfboth operations being simultaneous,- hence properly timed no matter whlch circuit is in use.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912. "Application: med May 25, 1910. serial No. 563,239;

Other, objects of the present invention k I will be 'clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of the same.

at this time more particularly enumerated With the various objects of mvpresent invention in View, the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel construction of double or twin interrupter or make and break device for magneto electric generators hereinafter .setQ-forth; and. the ,invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the dev ces and parts, all of whlchwlll be more fully described in the following specification, and

then finall yembodied in the clauses ofthe' claim which are appended to and which.v

form an essentialpart of'the said specification.

The invention is clearly-illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of a magneto elec- I 't1'iC generator provided with my novel construction of twin or double interrupter or make and break device Wired in' connection with said novel system of high tension ignition for internal combustion motors. (Fig. 2 is a side elevation. of saidv magneto electric generator and novel-twin or double-in.-

terrupter or make and break device.

-3 is a detail vertical longitudinal section.

taken on line 33 in said Fig. 1 looking in the. direction of-the arrow in, and; illustrat;

edit breaker as combined with said 3 ma more particularly the arrangementfloi.

Iii-y novel twinor double interrupter or cilftdelectricapparatus for use in said high ension ignition system. l hg. t 18%} detail 'lii-oss section taken on line 41 in said Fig.

3 tosturt'her illustrate the detailed construction of my novel twin or double intert'upf ter or circuit/breaker.

eration -ofmy novel twin or double interrupter or circuit breaker. Fig. 6 isa detail horlzontal section, drawn upon an enlarged ;scale,*o:fone of the adjustable contactpieces forming a part of my novel twin or double interrupter or circuit breakeim a Big. 7 a detail perspective view of a portion of a driving spindle and a cam memhe'r for operating said tw n or double lnterrupter imilar characters of,,r'eference are em 'ployed inall of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts;

Referring, now, to theseveral figures of the :accompanying drawings, the reference character 1 indicates a magneto electric ap paratu's-comprising the usual construction of field magnets 2 supported upon the abuselate 3, and provided withthe end-plates 4:. founted between the poles of said field magnets 2 is a revoluble armature core 5, the same being connected with and driven bv the shaft 6. Said armature core 5' is provided with the usual winding of wire 7. Se-

cured-to and supported by a journahplate 8,

which is secured toone endof said armature-co'refi, is an outwardly extending spim dle 9, the free end. 10 of which is of suit; ably reduced diameter and provided at its extreme end with screw-threads .11." Securedt one end of said magnetdelectric apparatus is abearing plate 12, pro'rid'ed upon'its linner side with a concentric rib 13 which forms a bearing for said 'journah plate 8;- Extending outwardly from y the outer side of said bearing-plate 1 2 is a hollow cylindrical portion forming a bearingmen's ber ld, upon which is movably journzt'led the supportinghub 15 0f a carrier-plate 1 raidapted jto support the novel twin or double inte'rrupting: or circuit'breaking device to subsequently described. Said carrier- :Plate 16 is provided with outwardly extend mgar'ms'lT' to which may be connected'the usual lever -connections for shifting sa d carrier-plate l6 and the devices supported thereon, to so change their relation with the operating devices therefor that the delivery of electrlcal current to the spark-plugs in the internal combustion motor mayd toreceive and support, an inclcsing 19., Said carrierplate :16 is further.

Fig. 5 is a similar View illustrating, more particularly, the op Sad vane'd or retarded as desired. San. car rievplate 16 is provided with an outwardly projectingj 'anmilar extension or" shoulder "18 provided with a centrally disposed hole or v enin 20 adapted to permit the passages ierethrough of said outwardly extending spindle 9. r i

The reference-character 21 indicates a coupling member adapted to be securedto the reduced free end 10 of said spindle 9 so as to be revolved therebyf said couplingmember 21 is provided upon its outer face with a plurality of serrations or'holdingmembers 22 Loosely mounted upon said reduced free end 10 of said spindle 9-isa. cam-member 23 provided with 1 the oppositely extending cam-portions 2st. The in ner face'of said cam-member 23 is provided with a plurality of serrations or holding members 25 corresponding with the said serrations or holding members 22 of said coupling-member. holding members 22 and 25 some a double purpose, first as a means for connecting said The said serrations or cam-member 23 with theeoupling g-member 21 so that the saidcam-member will revolve 'with'said s1'iindle-9,--and; second, to permit of a proper adjustment of said cam-member in its'coupledirelation to'brlng its cam-portlons Qt ln properand timely operative relation withthe devices said cam portions are caused to operate, as will be hereinafter described. nut'QG secured upon the screwthreads 11 of said reduced free end-10 of 'Sitld spindle 9, to retain said cam'meniber 23 in its coupled'relationwith said couplingnielnber 21. The said spindle 9 is provided with a longitudinally extending opening or passage through wh ch extends a contact rod or conductor 27 "the same beingsepa' rated from electrical contact with said spindle 9 by means of an insulator-sleeve '28. The inner end of said ins ltllGI filiETG projects into the centrally disposed opening of an insulator-disk. 29 arranged upon the inner side of said journal-plate S and saidcontact rod or conductor 27 pro ects through to the inner side of said insulator-disk E29,- and the free end of said contact rod or conductor 27 is provided with screw'threads for the reception of a nut'BO, which serves to connect with said.contact rod or conductor 27 a terminal-plate 31, to one end of which is secured li y solder, or other suitable has tening means, one end of the said armature winding 7. The outer end of said contact- -rod or conductor 27'is provided with a contact-head 39,

Suitably secured upon said carrier-plate 16 in suitable locations by means of bolts and nuts and insulated from electrical contact with]any'portion of said carrierplate lti by the insulator-plates 34: and in sulator sleeves around said nuts and bolts 3-35 are suitable plates which are formed with boxes37yin each of which is slidably arrangedtaba-r 38 having an elongated opening or slot 39. Suitably screwed 'into' lac iii the sides {of each n e t crer Gee-p ai .s. 4Q1p'rovidingthe :contact-for3- to. or. closed circuit ofmy, novel s rews, 41;; forming the contact for battery "or: opencircuitof my, novel high ensi'on' sys tem.-: ii "of said contact-screws eIifb medi ith' a. n rled head 42lf r m nipulating siaigjli.screws to adjust the same. I Thesaidtcontact-serews extend through" the l s tedf p n ng s o BP-O bar fifi o their respective boxes :37, v and the" respect1ve bars 38' are: forced in frictional 'bindihg-rclas of coil-springs 43-, "as shown more. cula rlyein Fig. e o f the: drawings. The purpose of; this (arrangement is, that While I the said -conta'ct-screws. can"bef read1ly. o turned toa'djust thesame, still thefr ctlonal maintain said contact screw in its 'fixedfor-l adj usted position -without dangerj-o f; the;

spring48 which-bearsagainst said contactcarrier 44 and reta ns the same n its nor-' mal initial position. Said shank 47 passes through a hole or perforation of reduced diameter in the head 4201? said contactscrew and is provided, preferably, with a screw-thread 49 adapted to receive and con-- 7 nect. with said shank a disk or head 50 which engages with the head 42 of said contact-screw, and serves to limit the out- I wardi movement or projection of-said contact carrier 44, as will be clearly-seen from an inspection of, Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Secured, upon said carrier-platelti, 111 a suitable location, by means of its screwthreaded end 51, is an arbor or spindle 52. Pi'iotall y mounted upon said arbor or spin dle. 52' is a hub-portion 53. Ext-ending outwardly from oneside of said hub-portion 53 is a contactarm 54 provided with a contact-shoe 55, and inlike manner, QiitBIlCllIlg o ositel a roxiniate'l isvanot ier contzib i-a'rm tt i freeend (if which i s -cformed 6 to provide a contact-shoe The said contact-arm 54 is provided with a projection 58, shitably. located so as to be engaged by the CiLIIl-pOItiOnS 24- of said cam-member 23 to operate said contact-arms 54 and 56. 5 The said' contact arm 54' is arranged to nsjionr yst m; and the Ether f-Qsaid with their respectivejjf'contacbscrews by make contact withv said battery or open cir cuitfcontact-screw 41 bemg normally. disenfg'aged therefrom, and-the said contact-arm magneto. or closed circuit j contact screw 40, being normally engaged therewith. To

fitheir normal positions there is provided a in areceiving socket upon the outer side of which is .seated in a receiving socket 61 of a spring supporting member 62 secured carrier-plate 16. The outer wall of said inclosin'g-casing '19 is provided with a cenare arranged the usual nut-members 64for s'ecuring thereto --circuit wires.

ing-post 63 is connected to asupporting "sfleeveyorsocket 65 which asses through "a suitable opening in'said lnclosing-casing insulator sleeve and washer66. "Arranged in said supporting sleeve or socket- 65 is .head 3215f said contact rod or conductor in such contact by a coil-spring '68 arranged within said supporting sleeve or socket 653. Arranged in connection with said inclosing ;casing 19 is another binding post 69, having a similarfbrush supporting means supported and insulated therefrom as above described,

' for the p urpose of supporting a brush-meniher which makes electrical contact with *closed circuit :contactscrew 40 connected therewith. And in like manner. there is another binding-post 71, also having a similar brush-supporting means supported and insulated therefrom as above described, for

"72 which makes electrical-contactwith the with the battery "or open circuit contactscrew 41. The said brush-members 67, 70

ble .of freely conducting an electrical cur rent may be used if desired.

I have illustrated my novel construction of magneto electric generator provided with the novel twin or double interrupter or circuit-make and break device in connection -.raneously herewith. ll hen so connected the magneto or normally closed circuit is completed as follows :'The electrical current generatedby the magneto generator is colof the brush-.member 67 and delivered by the maintain said contact-arms, respectively in in 'a'suit-able location and manner to. said trally disposed binding-post 63 upon which Said bind T a brush-member 6T which extends inwardly I "and makes electric contact with the contact- 27, the said brush-member being maintained the purpose of supporting a brush-member z 11 0 other of sa d boxes 37 and therethrough' and '72 are all preferably made of carbon, butany othermaterial or substance capa 561 ,is I arranged to make contact with said coil'-sp ring 59, one end of which is seated of said contact-arm 54, and the other end 19, and which is insulated therefrom,'by an fone'of the said boxes 37 and the magneto or j with a novel ignition system for internal combustion jmotorstsuch as described and claimed 1n an application filed contempolected from the armature winding bv means either circuit will operate through the same transformer-coil at will.

am aware that some changes may be 7. niadein the various arrangements and com- "binat'ions of the var ous parts a well as in the details of the construction of the same,

without departing from the scope of my present inventin, a definedin the. append ed claims. Hence, I do not limit myfinvention to the exact arrangements and com-- binations of the various, devices and parts as illustrated in the accompanying'specification, nordo I confinemyself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts. I claim t- I p 1. The combination with a magneto gen erator of a twin interrupter device for con trolling a magneto or normally closed cir-' cuit and a battery or normally open circuit,

comprising. a carrier-plate, a contact means for said magneto circuit supported upon said carrier-plate, a contact means for-said battery circuit supported upon said'carrieia plate, means forpivot ally supporting .upon said carrier-plate an interrupter member provided with two interrupter arms, one

arm normally contacting with said magneto circuit contact means, the other arm'nor 'mally disengaged from said battery" circuit contact means, and means, connected sonsto rotate with the armature of said magneto generator, for engaging saidinterrupter member to oscillate its interrupter arms to break the magneto or closed circuit and close the battery or open circuit in a single mox e-j:

-v ment of said interrupter-member, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with a magneto genorator of a twin interruptervdevicefor con-- trolling a magneto or normally closed cir cuit and a battery or normally open circuit,

; comprising'a carrier-plate, a contact means for said magneto' circuit supported upon J said carrier-plate, a contact means for said battery circuit supported upon said carrierpla te, means for pivotally supporting upon;

said carrierplate an interrupter member provided with two interrupter arms, one arm normally contacting with said magneto circuit contactmeans, the other arm normally disengaged from said battery circuit dontact. means, a'spindle connected with the armature of said magneto generator so as,

to rotate therewith, a cam-member adjustably connected with said spindle,. cam -portions on said cam member adapted to engage with said interrupter member to oscillate its interrupter arms to break the magneto or purposes set ,forth.

3. The combination with a magnetic gen closed circuit and close the batteryor open circuit in a single movement of said interrupter-member, substantially as and for the ferator of a twin interrupter device for con.-

trolling a magneto or normally closed circuit and a battery or normally open comprising 'a' carr'ler plate, a, contact men for said magneto circuit supported upqn said carrier-plate, a contact means for said battery circuit supported u onsaid carr erlate, means forpivotail-y supporting u said fcarrier pllat'e an interrupter mem provided'jwit two interrupter arms, one arm'normally contacting with said magneto circuit contactmeans, the other arnrnormall'y disengaged from saidbattery-circu t contactf means, a means for retaining said interrupter member in its normal pos tion and means connected so as to rotate with the armature of said magneto generator, for engaging said interrupter memberto oscillate its interrupter arms to break the 'magneto' or closl circuit and close the battery ,or open circuit by a single movement of said interrupter-member, substantially vas and for the purposesset forth.

4. The combinationwithafmag'neto gencrator of a twin interrupter'device for con trolling a magneto or. normally. closed circuit and a battery or normally open c1rcu1 t,.

comprising a carriereplate, a contact-means for said magneto circuit supported .upon said carrier plate, a ,contact means for said battery circuit supported upon said carrierplate, means for pivotally supportingu on said carrier-plate an interrupter 'mem er provided with two interrupter arms, one arm normally in contactwith said magneto circuit contact means, the other arm normally disengaged from saidbattery circuit contact means, means for retaining said incuit and a battery ornormally. open circuit,

comprising a carrier-plate movably supported in connection with said magneto generator, a contact-means for both circuits supported upon said carrier-plate, means for pivotally supporting upon said carrier- .plate an interrupter member provided with two interrupter arms, one of said arms nor-' mally engaging a contact means to close said magneto circuit, the other. of said arms being normally-disengaged from the other contact means to interrupt said battery circurt, means for oscillating sald interrupter member to move lts interrupter arms and contact-shoes upon each of said arms adaptset forth.

member .to maintain the same in it s normal JAMES SMITPL I terrupter arms, an adjustable revolving Witnesses:

interrupter-member electrically connected tion upon one' of said interrupter arms to with ground, outwardly extending arms I oscillate said interrupter member and its connected with said interrupter member, 1 arms, substantially-as and for the purposes 15 ed-to make and break contact one With"each In testimony, that I claim the invention of said'contact-screws, a spring means en set forth above I have hereunto set my hand gaging one of the arms of said interrupter this 19 day of Ma'y l910.

position, a projection upon one of said incammember provided with cam-portions W. D. CRAIG WRIGHT, adapted to successively engage said projec- JOHN A. STEER. 

